After Christina’s walking disaster and Gwen’s rocker chic, we feel the need to turn to something pretty and feminine for a little balance. That we’re turning to Katy Perry is a bit of a surprise, but not too much. When she’s not dressed like a cartoon character, she can pull off girly rather well.

Katy Perry attends the Dream Foundation Celebration of Dreams at Bacara Resport And Spa in Santa Barbara, California in a Dolce&Gabbana dress.

Pretty, yes? The belt gives it a little bit of an edge and the earrings do a nice job of calling back to it without looking too matchy. Plus the colors look really great on her. We approve, Miss Katy. Now go dress up like Smurfette or Jem and the Holograms again. We love that shit.

The skirt’s a touch sheer for my taste, but since that’s the style right now, I won’t quibble. I love this dress, the earrings, the hair… Katy looks better all around when she’s channeling feminine elegance. Save the costumes for your acts, darling, you were made for D&G on the RC!

http://twitter.com/emilyf007 emily

I didn’t look closely enough at the skirt until you mentioned it but now that I have, all I can see is that it IS sheer. Thank you tereliz, I was about to say I liked something that KP wore…

Louise Bryan

I didn’t notice the sheerness, either, until it was pointed out. I just love the print, and the shape of the dress so much. I should probably use one of these pictures as a new work-out motivator.

Kristin McNamara

It also helps that her hair is back to human-color.

tereliz

Yes, I hated the blue with the smurf of a thousand smurfy smurfs. The purple was only slightly better. It’s not as if she can’t pull on a wig for her stage performances and leave her real hair alone.

Louise Bryan

,,,

Lisa M. (ReVoir) Kramp

I would cut her for this look. Fantastic!

Annabelle Archer

Katy…Katy…Katy…
If you’re not wearing a candy bra and hot pants then who are you and what is your point?

ccinnc

Beautiful. Everything.

teensmom99

Great to see flowers on the RC and looking so good and not matronly. Thank you, Katie,thank you.

lovelyivy

Agreed. This should look like a couch, but it doesn’t- the cut and the styling rescue it.

charlotte

Major props for the absence of babyheads!

http://twitter.com/foodycatAlicia foodycatAlicia

Really pretty. I think the belt is a little bit ornate for the pattern on the dress though. Gorgeous earrings.

tereliz

I thought so top at first, then I realized this is a woman who wears cupcakes on her ta-tas and I decided it was a good compromise.

I love it just as much when she dresses like a lady. She’s gorgeous and does it so well.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=559324312 Pablo Ulloa

i think i’ve seen this before… :S

http://gabyrippling.tumblr.com/ Gabriella M

Perfection. Love it all.

gabbilevy

It may not be Smurfette, but this is still a character. That’s not a criticism, by the way, I think she looks lovely. Woodland Princess Katy (post raid on the Seven Dwarves’ gem mine) just looks a bit more in line with what any other starlet might be able to get away with.

I agree; there’s something a bit costumey, especially with that belt. Earrings, too, come to think of it. They both remind me of little girls playing dress up. And the way her eyes and lips match the colors in the dress is really something. The whole thing is kind of interesting, because how often do you see an old fashioned floral that doesn’t look like curtains?

http://twitter.com/ILikeShiny Cindi Williams

She looks spectacular and holidayesque without being literal. The shiny, jeweled pink and green help.

http://twitter.com/PhDKnitter marlie

I love it! She looks absolutely glamorous. I’m so glad that she went back to a “normal” hair color, too.

http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd

Katy looks greaty. All I can wish from her is that she would stop with the dazed, wide eyed thing.

Mismarker

4th picture down. She’s trying to hypnotize me with those eyes.

http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd

Or, she got hit by the gaze of Medusa, and is currently in the process of turning to stone.

Mismarker

Ha! At least Katy’s looking almost as happy as the Carl’s Jr. star behind her.

http://twitter.com/algaechick algaechick

Her eyes immediately reminded me of Kristin Wiig doing Nancy Pelosi.

MilaXX

Her and Nicki Minaj both tend to give a bit of the crazy eye at times.

Patricia Gillett

Lovely. Great look for her.

janierainie

very pretty

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2CNDPMVO4W23R5TVC2QMTJ5BZE Heather

The belt is a little Xena Warrior Princess* for my taste, but otherwise the look is great.

* Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Xena Warrior Princess. It’s just that it’s not a look that, IMO, translates to the real world.

B_C_J

Pretty, pretty, pretty. Not sure I like the embellishment on the waistband especially because the earring are high impact but overall she looks feminine and lovely.

TSkot

Aw, give the girl a WERQ. She looks really really lovely here.

http://twitter.com/MajorBedhead MajorBedhead

Very pretty.

marilyn

Gorgeous.

http://twitter.com/DarthJaeda Jaeda Laurez

This is a WERQ to me. It’s a beautiful dress that fits perfectly, and she looks supremely comfortable in it. I wish she’d do more of this than sparklers! on boobies! minidresses! latex!

jw_ny

Pretty…a bit summery tho. The belt is a fun and unexpected addition, but the earrings are too much…too heavy looking.

A B

Pretty but a bit garden party for the VMAs I think. Also, I think her makeup looks awful–particularly that shade of lipstick.

http://www.tomandlorenzo.com/ Tom and Lorenzo

She’s not at the VMAs.

MilaXX

She’s not at the VMA’s

http://vhanna26.typepad.com Vera

Brava, Katy.

Chillmer

Gorgeous. The accessories are flawless.

l_c_ann

Love the detailed top of that dress. (Wish those could have been real emeralds.)

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KFD4YODYT6N2NNTE7ZAHJWQXCM Deirdre

Very Liz Taylor! I love it. (Edited to mention that I never thought I’d compare Katy to Liz, wow).

http://twitter.com/ryenerman ryenerman

What I appreciate the most is the fact that this is properly fitted, not a baby head or squeezed part in sight. It makes such a difference when clothing fits properly.

mhleta

The vintage-vibe of the print is perfect for her. The fit is exactly right. She’s got on a crapload of foundation, but otherwise she looks beautiful.

MilaXX

Pretty, I like that Katy seems to know when to dress like a cartoon and when to dress like a normal gal. Someone mentioned Christina Hendrix earlier this morning and have to also give Katy credit for being a large busted gal who never defaults to the baby head look. She always seems to have the gals properly contained and supported.

msdamselfly

The belt and earrings look this side of tacky

Jennifer L.

Wow, her makeup is tasteful and flattering – go with this look in the future! Please!

Eva_baby

I really, really like everything about this look.

http://profile.yahoo.com/KBNJ6GJTXYEE6BON3WGK6KEGT4 Elizabeth

This is a WERQ for me! I know Katy is Katy so we’ll never be rid of the Candyland costumes, but she looks really lovely here. I wish she would do more of this for the RC. She looks absolutely gorgeous, grown-up and feminine. I love the earrings with her eyes!

warnerave

WERQ!

Lilithcat

The belt would be a bit too much for anyone else, but it works for her. It’s a gorgeous dress.

unbornfawn

Now here is someone who puts in an effort before she steps onto a red carpet. Well done Katy.

mmc2315

Her eyebrows always look amazing.

The bodice is very flattering on her.

AmeliaEve

Classic Hollywood glamor. She reminds me of a young Liz Taylor way more than LiLo ever will.

Anathema_Device

This might be my favorite outfit of hers. I was so freakin tired of the cartoon hair and outfits.

Puck Thornton

Very pretty dress and accessories. But her hand is distracting the ladylike image, all I can think is itchy crotch.

kimmeister

Hunh, I wonder what one does in a celebration of dreams?

decormaven

I’m still wrapping my head around Genentech and Carl Jrs. Bioengineered burgers? Anyhoo, fabulous look for Katy. I’d like to have seen a ring on each hand, instead of two rings on one finger.

LesYeuxHiboux

Is Katy going Liz Taylor on us? Those giant, fabulous earrings! If Russell Brand broke her will to wear giant banana costumes and spinning, light-up peppermints on her tits so help me I’ll punch him in the neck.

another_laura

I lerve those earrings!

shawnhunter

this is really gorgeous wow

Buffy

I really love this on her and the earrings are fabulous

SapphoPoet

I love this; really pretty with the right amount of glitter.

http://twitter.com/#!/Space_Kitty Space Kitty

That bodice fits like a dream.

thecitysleeps

Gah, she’s so beautiful. I want that dress omg.

ChristySchiff

I’m not sure I even know who this is…

http://twitter.com/MandySCG MandyJane

I really love that dress, and the earrings too.

Judy_J

Love those earrings with that dress. Matchy without being too matchy, if you know what I mean. She looks gorgeous.

neofashionista

I think this is exquisite
Well done KP

allcapsERINN

Oh wow, gorgeous! I LOVE IT! Love the big BLANGIN’ belt, too!

http://cheekypinky.wordpress.com/ Rebecca

I covet those earrings.

COHOVET.

http://twitter.com/Alloyjane Alloy Jane

Very lovely but lord almighty, she’s giving the crazy eyes.

kcarb1025

She actually looks very nice. I wonder what got into her… she has been looking downright demure and respectable for a few months.

Lisa Dugan

She looks so very pretty here. Adore the belt.

guest2visits

This is beautiful, both retro and contemporary and it looks like a perfect fit.

http://twitter.com/LianaBrooks Liana Brooks

Love that belt.

silaria

I love that belt, and she looks really pretty all told. I just… I can’t help it. The print looks like the wallpaper in the house I grew up in, all 1920s and yellowed with age.